Stacked measuring cup



May 26, 1964 D. H. MILLER 3,134,264

STACKED MEASURING CUP Filed March 1, .1962

3/4 cup 2 cu 1 2 cup /3 CUP INVEN TOR. Dorofhy H. miller United StatesPatent 3,134,264 STACKED MEASURING CUP H. Miller, 2909 W. 73rd, PrairieVillage, Kans.

Filed Mar. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 176,731 4 Claims, (Cl. 73-429) Thisinvention relates to measuring cups, and more particularly to ameasuring cup having a series of superimposed wall extensions which maybe selectively employed or removed to alter the capacity of the cup.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a measuring cupassembly of variable capacity so that accurate measurements of differentvolumes may be readily made by the user.

Another important object of the invention is to PIOVI ClG in a cup asaforementioned, means for quickly, easily and releasably securingvarious wall extensions to the cup to effect capacity changes.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a cup havingseal means to insure that the cup Wlll not leak at the zone of joinderof the wall extensions to the cup.

A further important object of the invention is to pro vide means forkeeping all of the cup components of the assembly together to insuretheir ready availability, yet permitting shifting of the components notbeing employed at a particular time to positions which do not interferewith the utilization of the cup, the cup being properly balancedregardless of the amounts of liquids or solids contained therein andirrespective of the number of components used to form the cup.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide ameasuring cup which is practical, can be economically manufactured fromrelatively inexpensive materials, yet is appealing in design andprovides a highly attractive kitchen accessory for use by the housewife.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the assembled measuring cup of thisinvention, parts being broken away and shown in cross section to revealdetails of construction;

' FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cup of FIG. 1, parts of the top anduppermost extension being broken away for clearness;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged, exploded, crosssectional view of theupper rim of a cup component and the lower edge of an extension to showthe groove and seal for receiving the rim; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the cup showing the disposition ofa number of separable extensions when removed from the cup to reduce thecapacity thereof.

The measuring cup broadly designated in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a base12 having a normally upright, tubular side wall 14, and a plurality oftubular wall extensions 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24. The extensions 1624 aredisposed in superimposed relationship on wall 14 to provide increasedcapacity for cup 10.

The upper edge of wall 14 is provided with an externally threaded rim 26of reduced dimensions which is complementally received within a groove28 in the lower most edge of extension 16. A seal 30 in the nature of athin rubber liner is carried within groove 28 and is engaged by theuppermost edge of rim 26 to positively prevent any leakage of liquids atthe zone of joinder of extension 16 and wall 14. To this end, theuppermost edge of rim 26 may be of sharpened configuration as shown inFIG. 3 for biting into seal 30 thereby effecting a positive liquid-tightseal.

Similarly, the uppermost edge of extensions 16, 18, 20 and 22 areprovided with rims identical to rim 26 of wall 14 and are receivedwithin grooves in extensions 18, 20,

Dorothy 3,134,264 Patented May 26., 1964 22 and 24 which are identicalto groove 28 of extension 16. Also, seals identical to seal 30 arepositioned within each of the respective grooves to effect aliquid-tight seal.

The uppermost extension 24 is preferably provided with an annular bead32 thereon surrounding the open top thereof. A circular cover 34 isprovided to releasably extend in covering relationship over extension 24when it is desired to close cup 10. A peripherally extending, outwardlydirected, scalloped skirt 36 on cover 34, is disposed to frictionallyengage bead 32 of extension 24 for releasably maintaining cover 34 inplace. A thin sealing gasket 38 on the inner face of cover 34 has abevelled portion 39 for complementally engaging the bevelled surface 41on extension 24 adjacent bead 32. Gasket 38 prevents any leakage offluid from within cup 10 when cover 34 is in place.

It is to be noted that cover 34 may be disposed on base 12 withskirt 36frictionally engaging side wall 14 when it is desired to have cup 10uncovered for any period of time.

Each 'rim 26 has a number of circumferentially spaced threads thereonwhich are unconnected and which are of a relatively large pitch so thatthe respective extensions can be secured in place by a small amount ofrotation of the particular extension with respect to the remainder oftheassembled cup 10. Thus, the respective extension may be placed uponthe rim of the next lowermost extension or base 12, and then be securedin place by-a short twisting motion. Likewise, the respective extensionsmay be removed from the assembled cup 10 in order by a simple twistingmotion in the opposite direction.

A plate 42 extend-s outwardly from the outer surface of side wall 14 onbase 12 and extends in circumscribing relationship around an arcuateportion of base 12. Thus, the normally horizontally disposed plate 42serves as handle means for cup 10 and, to this end, it may be providedwith a roughened surface which may be in the nature of concentricgrooves 44 on theupper surface of plate 42 and disposed in positions tobe gripped by the thumbs. Alternatively, the upper surface of plate 42may be provided with any roughened texture to facilitate the antislipproperties of plate 42. In addition, side wall 14 and extensions 1624,are provided with circumferentially extending grooves 45 therein on theouter surface thereof for providing antislip means therefor in thevicinity at which cup 10 is to be grasped.

Each extension 1624 has a tab 46 extending outwardly from the outersurface of the respective extension and overlying plate 42. Tabs 46 areprovided with outer surfaces which are of pebbly texture to facilitatehandling of cup 10 when the fingers of the hand are inserted betweenadjacent tabs 46 to carry cup 10. It will be noted in FIG. 2 that thetabs 46 are of substantially lesser dimensions than is plate 42 topermit easy access to the end marginal areas of plate 42 if it isdesired to carry cup 10 by grasping plate 42. I

Each tab 46 and plate 42 has an elongated aperture 48 therethroughdisposed to receive an elongated, articulated member 50 for securing theextensions of cup 10 to base 12. Member 50 is of the nature of a beadchain and passes through the respective apertures 48 and a fastener 51interconnects the ends of the chain.

The elongated apertures 48 in tabs 46 and plate 42 permit the twistingof the extensions with respect to the base without the necessity ofremoving member 50. This permits the ready addition to or elimination ofone of the extensions 16-24 to the assembled cup 10, while member 50maintains all of said extensions 1624 interconnected with side wall 14.If, for example, the increment of capacity afforded by extension 24 isnot desired during a particular utilization of cup 10, extension 24 maybe quickly and easily disassembled from the remainder of cup 10 andshifted to a position along member 50 which will be out of the Way andnot hinder the utilization of the assembled cup It) for measuringpurposes. In FIG 4, cup 10 is shown with extensions 22 and 24 removedfrom the remaining extensions and supported on a surface such as atabletop. It is noted that extensions 22 and 24 may be suspended overthe hand and out of the way of the remaining extensions and side wall 14whenthe latter form cup 10.

The respective extensions 1624 are of sufiicient size to add whateverincrement of capacity to base 12 which may be desirable as determined bythe use to be made of cup 10. It is not contemplated that the extensions16-24 must be of identical sizes. Rather, the sizes may vary and eachextension be provided with suitable indicia 56 so that the volumetricincrease of the capacity afforded by the utilization of a particularextension will be readily apparent to the user.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the cup-shapedbase 12 holds a convenient A cup, and the succeeding extensions 16-24are of respective sizes to increase the capacity to /3 cup, /2 cup, cup,cup and one cup respectively. Manifestly, any increments of capacityincrease may be suitably chosen and may further be indicated by indiciaif desired.

It is contemplated that the components of cup 10 may be formed fromreadily available material such as plastic or the like, through theutilization of a relatively inexpensive molding process. Cup 10 may bemade in highly attractive colors and presents a neat, practical kitchenitem desirabie for use by the housewife.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A measuring cup comprising:

a cup-shaped base having a side wall:

at least one tubular Wall extension;

means including an internally threaded groove in said extension and athreaded rim on the base complementally received in the groove forreleasably securing the extension to the side wall for selectivelyincreasing the capacity of the cup, there being a seal in the groovedisposed to be engaged by the rim when the extension is secured to thebase; and

a member secured to the extension and the base for maintaining theextension within the proximity of the base, said extension beingshiftable with respect to the member for permitting relative movementbetween the base and the extension while secured together by saidmember.

2. A measuring cup comprising:

a cup-shaped base having an annular, normally upright side wall;

handle means secured to the base, said handle means comprising agenerally horizontally disposed plate secured to the outer surface ofthe side Wall and extending partially around the side wall;

at least one tubular wall extension provided with tab means secured toand extending outwardly from the outer surface of said extension, saidtab overlying the plate on the base, the tab being of lesser dimensionthan the plate for permitting access to the plate to be gripped as ahandle, the plate and the tab having an aperture therethrough;

a pliable member passing through the respective apertures for fasteningthe extension to the base; and groove means on the extension and rimmeans on the base provided with interlocking, intermittent screw andthread means whereby the extension may be secured or released from thebase by slight relative rotation between the base and the extension.

3. A cup as set forth in claim 2, wherein said apertures in the plateand the tab respectively, are elongated to permit relative shifting ofthe base and the extension with respect to the member when the extensionis rotated relative to the member to release the securing means.

4. A cup as set forth in claim 2, wherein the member extends into aclosed loop passing through the said apertures and around the plate andtab.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS506,589 Freeman et a1. Oct. 10, 1893 1,927,454 Huxley Sept. 19, 19332,042,945 Lemay June 2, 1936 2,787,162 Crane Apr. 2, 1957 2,803,368 KochAug. 20, 1957 2,839,928 Fohrman June 24, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 492,481Great Britain Sept. 21, 1928 1,162,087 France Mar. 31, 1958

1. A MEASURING CUP COMPRISING: A CUP-SHAPED BASE HAVING A SIDE WALL: ATLEAST ONE TUBULAR WALL EXTENSION; MEANS INCLUDING AN INTERNALLY THREADEDGROOVE IN SAID EXTENSION AND A THREADED RIM ON THE BASE COMPLEMENTALLYRECEIVED IN THE GROOVE FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE EXTENSION TO THE SIDEWALL FOR SELECTIVELY INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF THE CUP, THERE BEING ASEAL IN THE GROOVE DISPOSED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE RIM WHEN THE EXTENSIONIS SECURED TO THE BASE; AND A MEMBER SECURED TO THE EXTENSION AND THEBASE FOR MAINTAINING THE EXTENSION WITHIN THE PROXIMITY OF THE BASE,SAID EXTENSION BEING SHIFTABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE MEMBER FOR PERMITTINGRELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE BASE AND THE EXTENSION WHILE SECUREDTOGETHER BY SAID MEMBER.